Apparatus for sealing



A. H. SANBORN AND L C.'.STANGIEH. Ba STANGIER BEING ADMINISTRATRIX or1.'c. STANGIER, 05cm APPARATUS FOR SEALING. v -APPLICATION FILED AUG.I7. 1918. Patented p 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

A. H. SANBORN AND 1. c. STANGIER. B- STANGI ER BEING ADMINISTRATRIX 0F1,. C. STANGIER, DEC'D. APPARATUS FOR SEALING.

3,996. APPLICATION'FILED AUG. 17, I918- p t t d Ap 25 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i I 1 i l I which aperture 12 is preferably located the depression 13formed in the casin UNITED STATES PATENT orr ce.

ARTHUR H. SANBORN AND JOSEPH C. STANGIER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD T0 JOHN C. MCFARLAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;BERTHA STAN- GIER BEING ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID JOSEPH C. S'IANGIER,DECEASED.

Application filed August 17, 1918.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ARTHUR H. SANBORN and JOSEPH C. STANGIER, citizens ofthe United States, and residents of the city of Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Sealing, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact specification.

Our invention is concerned with a simple and novel apparatus for sealingin vacuo, whichis designed mainly for sealing up the aperture in avessel which has been evacuated.

To this end, we have devised a simple device which preferably takes avconsiderable current of low voltage so that by simply putting theapparatus in place and closin the circuit (after the air has beenexhausted) the sealing is quickly and thoroughly effected without in theslightest reducing the degree of the vacuum.

To illustrate our invention, we append two sheets of drawings showingseveral forms of the sealing device in which the same referencecharacters are used to designate identical which-- Fig. 1 is a centralvertical section through. our novel apparatus shown in place and readyforuse; I

Fig; 2 is a detail in cross-section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but show- T ing a modification;

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section on the line 4'-4 of Fig. 3;

showing still another modification;

Fig. 6 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1 but showing another modification; and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

The part 11 represents the casing or vessel which is to be evacuated andsealed, and the air in the vessel must be exhausted through the aperture12 in the casing 11, in g 11'. Before the apparatus to be described isapplied solder or other sealing material it placed in the depression 13about or 'over the aperture 12, and a disk 15 of the same metal as thecasing 11 orany other appro- Specification of Letters Patent.

parts in all the figures, of

28 which has secured thereon the Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. ,1but" APPARATUS FOR SEALING.

Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

Serial No. 250,390.

priate material may be placed in the depression and preferably on top ofthe sealing material.

In the preferred form of our sealing device as shown in Fig. .1 the bodyof the apparatus is formed by a preferably transparent bell 16, which.is conveniently constructed of glass, and. may be. of the general shapeof a drinking glass, and is provided around its open end with a ring 17of soft rubber or some similar elastic material, which ring preferablyhas the wide base flange 18 with the flat lower surface, which,when-seatedon the topof the casing 11 readily makes anair-tight contacttherewith and it will be understood that the vertical portion of thering 17 makes an air-tight bell. 16.

Passed through a suitable aperture '19 formed in the other end of theglass is a metallic tube 20, and has depending therefrom two or morebars or extensions 21', which may be conveniently formed by cutting awaypart of a longer tube, which'extensions support the ring 22 which servesas the vertical guide for the electrode 23, which may be carbon or othersuitable material. .The tube 20 has theflange 24 formed thereon' whichengages and supports the washer 25. which in turn engages and supportsthe soft rubber or some similar gasket.26 pressed against the adjacentsurfaceof the glass.

he upper end of the tube 20 is threaded and; has screwed thereon theinternally threaded cup portion 27 of the hose nipple end of the hose 29which is connected to any suitable pump or other means forvexhausting'the air from the vessel to be evacuated and from the interiorof the bell 16, The end 27 of the nipple is screwed down upon the ring30, which in turn rests on the metallic washer 31 resting on the softrubber or similar gasket 32 resting on the outer surface of that end ofthe bell. A metallic" cable 33 is electrically connected by soldering orotherwise .to the cup 27 thus making electrical connection to the tube20, and to insure the connections being air-tight, the gasket 32, washer31, ring 30 and cup 27 are preferabl-y luted with some suitable wax tothe glass bell 16. Preferably just beneath the flange 24'" is solderedthe ends of a pairof flexible. w'ire cables 34, which have their otherends soldered to the metallic body 35 of the electrode holder which hasa guiding extension 36 projecting up into the body of the tube. Ahelically coiled compression spring 37 surrounds the extension 36 andengages the lower end of the. tube 20 so as to press the electrode 23held in the holder 35 upon the metallic disk 15 when the parts areproperly positioned. The cable 33 extends to and is electricallyconnected with the vessel by any convenient mea ns the cables 33 and 33being in the circuit of a transformer 38. or other suitable source ofcurrent.

\Vhen the parts are assembled as shown in the drawing and after thevessel has been evacuated. and while the vacuum is still maintained theoperator causes a suitable current of electricity to flow through theelectrode 23, the disk 15, the solder or other sealing material 1 1 andthe casing 11. This current passing through the contact resistancebetween the end of the electrode and the disk 15 generates heat, so muchso that the disk 15 is promptly heated hot enough to melt the solder orother sealing material 14:, and the pressure of the spring 37 forces thedisk 15 down on the softening solder or other sealing material with theresult that the aperture 12 is thoroughly sealed.

In Figs. and 4. we have shown a modification in which the tube 20 isprovided at its lower end with an insulating block support 36, which hassecured on its lower end a pair of metallic guides 22 secured theretoand having mounted thereinthe pair of carbons 23, which have their endsbeveled off so as to cause the opposed portions of said ends to bepressed together by the helically coiled springs 37 mounted in the endsof the holders 22 in the manner clearly shown. The other angular facesof the ends of the carbons 23 are beveled off to form acommon plainsurface which rests on the top of the metallic disk 15 as before. A pairof binding posts 34 may be sealed hermetically in suitable apertures inthe sides of the bell 16 and connected by the flexible wires 35 with themetallic carbon guides 22.

lVith the structure described, and with the terminals 341 connected in acircuit of low voltage, but large amperage, the current passing throughthe contact where the carbons 28" are pressed together and between saidcarbons and the disk will heat said carbons and the heat will in turn betransmitted by conduction to the disk 15, melting the ring of solder 14and sealing the aperture 12 as before. i

In Fig. 5, the tiibe 20 is used as a guide for the stem 36 of theinsulating block 35*, which has secured on its lower end the reslstancedisk-39. which has the stems 39 secured on the block 35 by theset-screws 40 through the terminal blocks 41 connected by the flexiblewires 35 to terminals 34: similar to those employed in the modificationshown in Fig. A helically coiled compression spring 37" surrounds thestem 2-36" abutting against the lower end of the tube 20 and the top ofthe block 36" so as to press the resistance disk 39 down on the sheetmetal disk 15.

With this modification. after the air has been exhausted. the apparatusis energized from a suitable source of electricity and the currentpassing through the disk 39 generates sufficient heat to melt the solder14 by conduction and cause the aperture 12 to be sealed as before.

In Fig. 6, we have shown a still further modification. Here the bell isand the nipple 28 are preferably made integral of some insulatingmaterial such as and 5 the bell is contracted as at 20 to form a guidefor a bundle 23 of laminated plates or wires sufficiently insulated fromeach other so that no large eddy currents will be generated therein. Theplates or wires 23 are held together by the insulating cap 22. and ahelically coiled ci'nnpression spring 37 is conveniently secured on anabutment on the top of the cap 22 and its other end co-operates with anabutment 21 secured on the under side of the shoulder connecting theguide portion 20 with the nipple portion 28 of bell 16. The outsideotthe guide portion 20 of the bell is surrmimled by a helix 35 which is ina circuit 33" having 00 associated therewith a source 34 of alternatingcurrent of suitable frequency and voltage so that when the circuit 33"is closed a strong magnetic flux will be generated in the bundle 23 ofplates or wires. On 105 the bottom of the bundle, we may secure a cap13, which is pressed against the metallic disk 15, as before. This capmay be of insulating material, in which case the heat necessary to meltthe solder 14 is generated 110 in the metal below the cap due to theeddy currents induced in said metal, or it may be a cap of nichrome orother material with proper characteristics. in which case the heat isgenerated in the nichrome cap due 115 to the eddy currents induced init, and conducted through the disk 15 to the solder 14. as well as beinggenerated in the metal below said cap 13.

While we have shown and described our 120 invention as embodied in theforms which we at present consider best adapted to carry out itspurposes. it will be understood that it is capable of furthermodifications, and that we do not desire to be limited in the 125interpretation of the following claims except as may be necessitated bythe prior state of the art.

lVhile we have herein disclosed the-modi fications shown in Figures 3, 5and 6, covered .130

b our generic claims, we hereby reserve the right to file divisionalapplications containin specific claims for said modifications.

- hat we claim as new and desire-to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a bellprovided with an elastic annulus about its open end and a tube openinginto it through the closed end through which it may be evacuated, ofelectr'odeholder mounted to slide therein along y the axis of the bell,an electrode in the 'the purpose described.

"holder, a spring adapted to COTOPEI'atG with the holder and tending toforce the iree'end of. the electrode out of the bell, and connectionswhereb acircuit may be established through said against which theelectrode is pressed, for

2i Ina device of the class described, the

combination. jwith a fbell provided with an elasticannulus about-'its-"open end, of a tube extending 'therethrough" and hermeticallysealed'thereinj havingja nippleflon its outer endand ngeleotrodeguide onits inner end,

older mounted to-slide along theIaxisiofi'ithetbell, an electrode in theholder pa'helically coiledicompres'sion spring interposed between the:holder --andthe tube tending to force the free end of the electrode "outof the bell,-and 'connections whereby the elastic annulus is seated andagainsta circuit may-fbefestablished throughsaid;

electrode holder,-' 'elect1'ode,, disk, sealing material and metallicsurface upon which which the electrode is pressed, for the purposedescribed. 7

v 3. In a device of the class described, the' combination with a bellprovided-with an elastic annulus about its open end, ofa tube extendingtherethrough and hermetically.-

sealed therein having a nipple on its outer end and an electrode guideon its inner end, an electrode holder mounted to slide along the axis ofthe bell, an electrode in the holder, a helically coiled compressionspring interposed between the holder and the tube tending to force thefree end of the electrode out of the bell, a cable electrically securedto the. outer. end of the tube, and a wire connecting theinner end ofthe tube and the electrode holder, "for the urpose described. 4. In adeviceof the-cc ass described, the combinationv with' a bell providedwith an elastic annulus about its'open end, of a tube extending throughan aperture in the other lectrode holder, electrode, disk, sealingmaterial and metallic surface upon which theelastic annulus is seatedand 20 end of the bell and having a flange within the bell and its outerend externally threaded, a nipple screwed onto the outer end of thetube, suitable washers and gasket-s interposed between the flange andthe nipple, an electrical conductor connected to the outer end of thetube, an electrode guide in alignment with'the tube and supportedthereby within the bell, an electrode holder between the end of the tubeand the electrode guide having an extension projecting into the tube, ahelically coiled compression spring surrounding the extension betweenthe electrode holder and the inner end of the tube, and flexibleelectrical connections between the inner end of the tube and theelectrode holder, substantially as and for the purpose described. 5. Ina device of the class described, the combination with a bell having anelastic sealing annulus, on its lower open end and a tubular nippleopening into its closed end, of a holder supported entirely within thebell, an electrical element carried by said holder, a spring'tending toforce the electrical elementtoward the open end, and electrical meansfor supplying current to said electrical element for the purposedescribed. 6, In a device of-the class described, the

combination with a glass bell having a rubher sealing annulus on itsopenend and a tubular nippleopening into its closed end,

ment within'the bell, adapted to be heated by the passage of a suitablecurrent of electricity therethrough, means for yieldingly pressing theelement against the article to be sealed whereby heat is transmitted foreffecting the sealing operation.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and affixed ourseals, this 13th day of August,A. D. 1918. I

ARTHUR H. SANBORN. [1,. 5. JOSEPH, o. STANGIER. [a 5.

'Witness:

' JNo. ELLIOTT.

